Process of preserving mushrooms.



EDWARD H. JACOB, OF "WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF PRESERVING MUSHROOMS.

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application" filed September 15, 1911.

Serial No. 649,494.

to prevent the loss of their natural flavor.

This object is accomplished, in the preferred practice, by' subjectingthe mushrooms' to an evaporating operation at a temperature of from'100to 150 degrees F. until their weight has been reduced to approximatelyone-half through loss of. water; then washing in cold water to cleanseand freshen the product; then dipping, for a period of from 1 to 3minutes, in a bath of scalding Water containing citric acid and salt inthe approximate proportions of 12 gallons of water, 1% ounces of citricacid and 5 pounds of salt; then coating with hot oil, suitably bydipping in hot cottonseed or olive oil, and then heating for a period offrom 10 to 30 minutes (depending. upon the bulk treated at a temperatureranging from 212 to 250 degrees F., suitably by placing the mushrooms ata temperature of about 150 degrees F. in a container, which is closedand heated to effect the desired sterilizing or processing.

" While the foregoing treatment has been found to efiect thepreservation of mushrooms without loss of flavor so that the preservedproduct may not be distinguished from the fresh it will be understoodthat suchtreatment may be varied by omitting certain operations, aswashing in cold water and dipping in scalding water containing citricacid salt, and by modifying the degree of the"treatment as by, changingthe" time and temperature of the operations; or themushrooms may besterilized in water or brine directly after being subjected totheevaporating operation. It is important, however, that the treatmentshall not drive oif or cause the loss of the natural juices of themushrooms, as by the use of high and prolonged heat in effecting theevaporation of the water, which is preferably driven ofi at atemperature between 100and 150 degrees'F. I

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. A. process for preservingmushrooms which comprises evaporating them for such time and at suchtemperature as will drive off a substantial bulk of water therefromwithout expelling the natural juices and treating the product so as toeffect sterilization thereof.

2. process for preserving mushrooms which comprises evaporating watertherefrom, treating them With oil and heating them.

3. A process for preserving mushrooms which comprises evaporating watertherefrom without driving off thejuices, coating the evaporated productwith vegetable oil, and heating the coated product so as to effectsterilization thereof.

Patented Feb. 2'7, 1912.

4. .A process for preserving mushrooms which comprises evaporating thewater therefrom at a temperaturebelow 150 degrees F., dipping theevaporated product in. oil, and heating the oil coated product at suchtemperature and for such time as may be required to effect sterilization5. A process of treating m shrooms which comprises subjecting them to anevaporating operation until about 50 per cent. of their weight in waterhas been driven olf, washing the product in cold water, treating thewashed product with an oil, and heating the oil coated product at suchtemperature and for such time as may be required to effectsterilization.

-' 6. A process for preserving mushrooms which comprises'evaporatingthem for such time and at such temperatures as will drive oil the bulkof the Water Without expelling EDWARD H. JACOB.

Witnesses I i M; R. DAhLINGToN, Jos. G. DENNY, Jr.

